In the opening decades of the twentieth century, the hectic pace of life prompted many Americans to look to the colonial past as a peaceful, more harmonious time. Although antique collecting had long been a hobby of the well to do and the United States pr

William Bradford (1823-1892) recalled later in life, "I early felt a desire to paint, but had no idea I would ever do anything very special in this line or make it a life calling."1 How he came to do something very special in that line and make a career o

The Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the Department of State fulfill a vision first articulated a mere forty years ago: to provide U. S. secretaries of state with an environment of rare beauty and civility in which to host official diplomatic events. Today,

During the second quarter of the nineteenth century American glass factories reached a golden age in the production of fine free blown, molded, cut, and engraved flint (lead) glass. Prior to this time the domestic glass industry suffered from competition

Jacob Eichholtz (1776-1842) inhabited several worlds, or so his letter to fellow artist and historian of early American art, William Dunlap would suggest. Trained as an artisan, he successfully entered the world of fine art (Fig. 1). Born and raised in t

Samplers, silk embroideries, and canvaswork pictures are extraordinary examples of needlework skill wrought by girls and young ladies from the late-seventeenth into the mid-nineteenth centuries. When exhibiting at antiques shows, we observe visitors to ou

The discovery of the painted window cornice and table corresponding to receipts in the papers of the Edward Lloyd family of Maryland from the venerable Baltimore fancy furniture painters John and Hugh Finlay

When William Penn (1644-1718) began building Pennsbury Manor in 1683, he had high hopes for his personal estate. Situated on 8,400 acres of prime land along the Delaware River, he envisioned a stylish house surrounded by carefully tended gardens. The land

The Parry Mansion is located in New Hope, Pennsylvania, where the Old York Road that links Philadelphia and New York crosses the Delaware River. It is here that in the winter campaign of 1776 George Washington and his army crossed the river on Christmas

Were it not for the quality of the small amount of pewter that survives with his marks, the role of Philadelphia craftsman Simon Edgell (16871742) in the history of American pewter would have been relegated to obscurity. Of the twelve known pieces wi

Antiques and Fine Art is the leading site for antique collectors, designers, and enthusiasts of art and antiques. Featuring outstanding inventory for sale from top antiques & art dealers, educational articles on fine and decorative arts, and a calendar listing upcoming antiques shows and fairs.